By Hosea Omole
Climbing plants have a place in almost every garden. Where space is not a problem, climbers such as those grown in pergolas and trellis are perfect for creating garden walls. Garden walls help in dividing up your large space into usable outdoor rooms. For smaller spaces, climbers unlock the option of creating a vertical garden.
Besides adding a third dimension to your garden, climbers bring a touch of drama into your outdoor spaces. Their informal growth patterns introduce nature’s beauty into geometrical man-made spaces and structures. When successfully applied, climbers form the transition between man-made and natural elements. The result is a beautiful harmony as the two spheres begin to intertwine.
Although the usual considerations of climate and soil types also apply to climbing plants, it is often easier to consider what your intentions are before selecting your climbers. Here are some ideas on how to work with climbing plants for different functions in your home.
Pergolas and trellises
These are probably the most commonly used for climbing plants. Pergolas are open garden structures often made in wood or metal to cover spaces for outdoor sitting. Trellises are similar except they are usually constructed to cover walkways and entrances.
When selecting climbers to grow on trellises and pergolas, think about the quality of space you want to create underneath and the intended function of the structure. Are you looking for total shade or filtered sun? Is the structure mostly functional or is it a more ornamental focal point to punctuate the rest of your garden?
Next, consider the structure of the plant vis-‡-vis the structure you want it to climb over. Twiners that spiral the structure’s members and hooked climbers are best in this category. To be safe, make sure your structure has members of different sizes. Depending on the material, members can be anything between 200mm thick and five mm thick. The goal is to incorporate as many different sizes as you can to increase the range of climbers at your disposal.
Before planting, take your time to check that the structure is in a good state of repair and is strong enough to support what may become a substantial load over the years. Ask about the mature size of the plant you want to use and compare this with the size and strength of your structure. It is much easier to repair and reinforce the structure before it is all covered up with stems.
climbers for Walls
Climbers may be grown over a wall for several reasons: to emphasise some architectural highlights, to spice up some otherwise uninspiring building or to break the monotony of an extensive wall.
Whatever your reasons, the growth rate of the climber is a critical consideration. Find out the mature spread of the plant and compare this to the surface area you want the climber to cover. It is better to be conservative since over-planting will only get you into a vicious circle of unending pruning.
The other critical consideration is the micro-climatic conditions on the wall. The conditions on one wall can be very different from the conditions on the next wall depending on their finishes and orientation to the sun and rain.
A dark coloured wall oriented towards the west, for instance, will experience much higher temperatures compared to a lighter coloured one oriented across the north-south axis. A natural stone wall will be a little cooler compared to a granite clad wall. Similarly, a concrete wall will retain much more water compared to a plastered and painted wall. The idea is to ensure that the plants you choose can at worst tolerate the micro-climate on the walls.
